Characteristics of Intracranial Group A Streptococcal Infections in US Children, 1997-2014.

Background: Few data on intracranial group A Streptococcus (GAS) infection in children are available. Here, we describe the demographic, clinical, and diagnostic characteristics of 91 children with intracranial GAS infection.

Methods: Cases of intracranial GAS infection in persons ≤18 years of age reported between 1997 and 2014 were identified by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's population- and laboratory-based Active Bacterial Core surveillance (ABCs) system.

Appointment-based models: A comparison of three model designs in a large chain community pharmacy setting.

Objectives: To compare the effects of 3 different appointment-based model (ABM) designs on medication adherence and medication use outcomes controlling for patient and pharmacy characteristics.

Methods: This study was a retrospective cohort analysis in a large grocery store chain from January 1, 2012, to October 31, 2015. A total of 500 comparison and 613 intervention patients in 3 different model designs were analyzed.

Assessment of Administrative Medical Claims Data for Public Health Surveillance of Invasive Group A Streptococcal Necrotizing Fasciitis in Tennessee.

Objective: Necrotizing fasciitis (NF) is a severe manifestation of invasive group A streptococcal (iGAS) infection. NF is a rapidly progressive infection of the subcutaneous tissues, including the fascia, and accurate diagnosis and prompt treatment are critical. Population-based surveillance is conducted for iGAS, including the severe manifestations of NF, by the federally funded Active Bacterial Core surveillance (ABCs) program.

Influenza testing and antiviral prescribing practices among emergency department clinicians in 9 states during the 2006 to 2007 influenza season.

Study Objective: Influenza causes significant widespread illness each year. Emergency department (ED) clinicians are often first-line providers to evaluate and make treatment decisions for patients presenting with influenza. We sought to better understand ED clinician testing and treatment practices in the Emerging Infections Program Network, a federal, state, and academic collaboration that conducts active surveillance for influenza-associated hospitalizations.

Aggregated antibiograms and monitoring of drug-resistant Streptococcus pneumoniae.

Community-specific antimicrobial susceptibility data may help monitor trends among drug-resistant Streptococcus pneumoniae and guide empiric therapy. Because active, population-based surveillance for invasive pneumococcal disease is accurate but resource intensive, we compared the proportion of penicillin-nonsusceptible isolates obtained from existing antibiograms, a less expensive system, to that obtained from 1 year of active surveillance for Georgia, Tennessee, California, Minnesota, Oregon, Maryland, Connecticut, and New York. For all sites, proportions of penicillin-nonsusceptible isolates from antibiograms were within 10 percentage points (median 3.